Our lawns were unmanicured then
playing hide and seek with the cat
in the gully behind our house.
No reason for envy
not yet put to the test.
My finger has been pointed toward you
for a long time
at your divorce from your roots
at your proving you’re not poor
only to find I’m as good at it as you:
turning away from my condition
seeking letters after my name
mistaking imitation for authenticity.
I gave it a starlit label
but envy comes out dull in the wash
looking the same.